Alleged coup: Six arraigned, remanded in DSS' custody as court sets Monday for trial
Six individuals accused of among others, plotting to take over government were on Wednesday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a 13-count charge. They are Major General
Six individuals accused of among others, plotting to take over government were on Wednesday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a 13-count charge.
They are Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
The six pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them. Gana was brought to court on a wheel chair on grounds of ill health and old age.
Following their plea of not guilty, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who led the prosecution's legal team, sought a date for trial and urged the court to remand the defendants in the costudy of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Fagbemi also prayed the court to grant accelerated hearing in case.
Mohammed Ndayako (SAN), who represented Gana, told the court about a bail application already filed for his client.
Nadyako said the application was served on the prosecution earlier in the morning before the commencement of proceedings and urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable him move the application.
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In relation to Fagbemi's request that the defendants should be kept in the custody of the DSS, Nadyako said there should be a caveat that their lawyers should be allowed to see them.
He said such provision was necessary because he was only able to see his client the previous day since October last year when he was arrested.
Nadyako said access to the defendants by their lawyers was necessary to enable them prepare for their defence.
Fagbemi assured the lawyers that they would be allowed access to their clients in line with the law, adding, "I can assure you that your right to interact with your clients will not be denied."
Other defence lawyers - Chibuike Ukah, C. D. Okafor and Mohammed Ibrahim - also complained about having difficulty seeing their clients until yesterday, but said they were reassured by Fagbemi's disposition.
Sunusi Musa (SAN), who represented Sani (the sixth defendant), said: "On our part, since when the 6th defendant was moved from DIA (Defence Intelligence Agency) to DSS, we don't have a complaint."
Musa commended the DSS for making it easy to have access to his client.
Fagbemi, while responding to the lawyers' observations, advised them to ensure that they follow the established protocol at the DSS facility and inform those in charge in good time whenever they plan to see the defendants.
He said, "I am happy that all of you (the defence lawyers) are not opposed to accelerated hearing so that we have the matter disposed of in good time."
Ruling, Justice Abdulmalik ordered the other defendants who are yet to file bail applications to do so formally.
She granted accelerated hearing, ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody and adjourned till April 27 for the commencement of trial
The judge also ordered that the defendants should be allowed access to their lawyers to enable them prepare for their defence.
The six defendants are, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026 alleged to have plottes to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the country.
They are accused of offences ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The defendants are alleged to have “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The prosecution further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to alert authorities.
The charge stated that they, “knowing that and intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President or a Peace Officer.”
In another count, the defendants were accused of failing to take preventive steps, as they allegedly “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence.”
The defendants are also charged with terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The charge alleged that they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Particularly, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru are accused of participating in meetings linked to terrorist activities.
Prosecution claim they acted “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The charge also accused the defendants of providing support for terrorism, alleging that they “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.
The prosecution also alleged a deliberate suppression of intelligence, stating that the defendants “had information which would be of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism but failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable.”
It alleged some financial transactions linked to terrorism financing, with multiple defendants accused of handling proceeds of unlawful activities.
Bukar Kashim Goni is alleged to have “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000, which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing,” while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2 million from a similar source.
Zekeri Umoru, according to the charge, “without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of N10,000,000,” and also retained an additional N8.8 million suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of N1 million linked to the same alleged scheme.
All financial-related counts were brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
